LAS VEGAS—Back in the summers of 2005 and ’06, when he was an assistant coach with the Rockets, Tom Thibodeau traveled to China with center Yao Ming, using the offseason time to hone the skills of the team’s All-Star big man. Yao’s primary commitment at the time, though, was to the Chinese national team, and so Thibodeau would work with Yao individually around his other commitments.

But the experience registered with Thibodeau, now head coach of the Bulls. “I had the opportunity when Yao was playing for the Chinese national team, to watch how he participated and to watch their practices,” he said. “I learned a lot from that.”

Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau uses each summer to improve his skills, just as he plans to with Team USA. (AP Photo)

Earlier this year, when Thibodeau got calls from coach Mike Krzyzewski and executive director Jerry Colangelo, asking him to join the staff of Team USA, Thibodeau didn’t hesitate. Just as he had gleaned knowledge from the Chinese team, he figured he would benefit personally from working with Team USA, and get a chance to help his country to some gold medals in the process.

“I was flattered that I was even considered,” Thibodeau said. “It wasn’t something I expected. Jerry Colangelo and Mike Krzyzewski called and I thought it would be a great opportunity to learn. I am excited to be here. Any time you have the opportunity to be around great coaches and great players, you have to take it. And these are your opponents, I think you learn a lot from them, too. I followed Team USA from afar and was very curious to see what the inner workings are here.”

Thibodeau and Pelicans head coach Monty Williams joined the staff of Team USA this summer, replacing Nate McMillan and Mike D’Antoni. The team brought back Krzyzewski after his brief retirement, but still wanted some new blood on the staff. Where McMillan largely focused on defense and D’Antoni on offense, Thibodeau now brings defensive expertise and Williams offers his expert play-designing abilities.

For Colangelo, Thibodeau was at the top of his list of potential assistants. “I have great respect for him,” Colangelo said. “When I think about a basketball coach for the Chicago Bulls, he comes right out of the manual. A hard-working, blue-collar guy who has done a great job in Chicago. He brings a toughness and a defensive consideration to our team.”

Anyone who knows Thibodeau, though, might have reason to be concerned about his sanity—the guy is probably the hardest working head coach in the NBA, and has an almost obsessive capacity for detail. After going through a season in which star guard Derrick Rose sat out the entire year and postseason as he rehabbed his knee, a year in which the Bulls still advanced to the second round of the playoffs, Thibodeau would be easily forgiven for being exhausted.

That’s not how he sees it, though. He sees it more like his time spent in China with Yao. “Summer is the best time to be learning and finding out new things,” Thibodeau said. “It’s what you ask of players, so it is something that coaches should be doing, too. This is an opportunity to learn for me, to be in a different setting and see how other coaches do things.”

Thibodeau gave a smirk when asked about decompression time, as if to say, ‘Who needs that?’

“I think there is time to do that,” Thibodeau said. “I have already had some time off. I was anxious to get started. When they ask you, it has to be very difficult to say no, it is such a great opportunity for our country, for a great coach. I know how our players in the league feel about this. It is important, and I am excited.”